Puzzle



(No Model.)

W. E. TIMMERMAN;

PUZZLE.

No. 526,467. Patented Sept. 25, 1894.

i jjmmermwm 5 g gw 5 V UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM E. TIMMERMAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PUZZLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 526,467, dated September 25, 1894,. Application filed May 17. 1894. Serial N0. 5l 1,517- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM E. TIMMER- MAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Puzzles, of which the following is a, full, clear, and exact specification.

My invention relates to that class of puzzles which have for their object the arrangement of a movable bodyin a certain position with reference to some other part, and more particularly to that class in which the movable body is arranged in an inclosing case and rests upon a base board upon which it is manipulated by the agitation of the board for causing it to assume the desired position.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and pleasing puzzle or toy of this class which may be cheaply manufactured and will be entertaining or amusing in a maximum degree.

With these ends in view my invention consists in certain features of novelty in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the said drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved puzzle, and Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section thereo l In carrying out my invention I employ a base board over which is preferably arranged a transparent inclosing case or cover and within this inclosing case upon the base board I locate a movable object of irregular form and being composed of such material that the slightest agitation of the casing will alter its position, the board being provided with a pocket or goal so formed and located that the movable object may not be placed therein excepting by mere chance or by a certain manipulation of the device which is not apparent at first sight.

The base board is represented at A, and it is preferably struck out of a single piece of sheet metal and formed integrally with an upturned flangeB which constitutes the sides of the casing or cover and which is itself formed with a flange b which constitutes a seat for a glass cover 0, the edge of the flange I) being reamed over the glass.

rolled into the pocket but will have a tendency to roll away from the pocket.

The object E is preferably elliptical or egg shape and its larger end which is the end to be placed in the pocket D is complementary in shape to such pocket so that by proper manipulation of the puzzle the object may be caused to stand on end ina vertical position in the pocket, the purpose of making the object elliptical or egg shape being to render its movement more irregular, and less subject to the control of the operator.

The object E may be composed of any suit able material such as wood, metal or guttapercha or even cork, but I prefer to compose it of elastic rubber so that it will be exceedingly sensitive to the slightest agitation of the casing. The base or bottom A is also provided with a number of grooves or channels a which radiate from the pocket D and extend preferably to the sides B. The real purpose of these grooves or channels is to aid in placing the objectin the pocket D, but if the puzzle is not properly manipulated they have the tendency of only making theagitation of the object more violent and its movements less regular. In order to place the object in the goal or pocket D however, it is only necessary to agitate it until it rests within one of the grooves a with its larger end turned toward the pocket D; and then by holding the groove in which it rests level and lightly tapping the casing lengthwise of the groove the object will be caused to slide along the groove until it reaches the pocket D whereupon the preponderance of weight in its larger end will cause it to tip downward at that end and sink into the pocket in an upright posi- .tion.

The principle of my invention may be embodied in any suitable design such as that shown where it is to be utilized as a toy simply; or it may be made up in the form of a glass paper weight and in fact in any other design without departing from the spirit of myinvention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claimas newtherein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. As a new and useful article of manufacture, a puzzle having in combination a base board provided with a pocket and being inclined downwardly from said pocket and having grooves leading to said pocket, and an elastic irregular rolling object arranged on said board, substantially as set forth.

2. As a new and useful article of manufacture, a puzzle having in combination a base board provided at its center with a'pocket and grooves radiating from said pocket, the said board being inclined downwardly from said pocket, a transparent casing over said board and an egg shaped object, arranged within said casing, substantially as set forth.

3. As a new and useful article of manufacture, a puzzle having in combination a base board provided with a pocket, and grooves leading to said pocket, a casing inclosing said board and an egg shaped object composed of elastic rubber arranged within said casing,

substantially as set forth.

WILLIAM E. TIMMERMAN.

Witnesses: I

F. A. HOPKINS, JNo. G. ELLIOTT. 

